Socket for electric lamps or fuses



March 11 1924. R. EBERHARDT SOCKET FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS OR FUSES FiledMarch so. 1923 amuwwtoz Patented Mar. 11, 1924.

ROBERT EBEBHAEDT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOB F ONE-FOURTH '10 EMIL'1'. PESKAR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SOCKET FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS OR FUSES.

Application filed March 30, 1923. Serial No. 628,795.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT EBERHARDT, a citizen of Hungary, residing atNew York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Sockets for Electric Lamps orFuses, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates generally to electric incandescent lamps, havingmore particular reference to the construction of the member in thesocket element which directly supports the lampbulb, the invention beingalso adapted for use in connection with fuse sockets.

The invention has for an object the provision of a novel and simplemeans whereby the bulb can be more quickly attached to the threadedsleeve constituting the said member.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Fig. 1 of the drawings is a side view of an electric incandescent lamphaving the invention applied to its socket member.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the contact sleeve. I y

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view thereof.

Fig. 4c is a transverse sectional view taken on the line H of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on the line5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side view showing a portion of thesocket member.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing amodification.

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 7.

In the drawing the reference numeral 10 indicates the shell of thesocket member of the lamp, the usual bulb being indicated at 11 and theswitch button at 12. The shell 10 is provided with the usual insulatinglining 13. According to my invention I make the sleeve which grips thebulb end,

' of an expansible construction, whereby the bulb end can be readilyinserted therein.

As here shown this sleeve is diametrically divided into two halves orsections 15 and 16 respectively which are formed with screw threadscomplementary to one another. These sections are formed with hinge ears18 and 19 adjacent their inner ends which engage freely a hinge pintle20 fixed in the usual porcelain block 21 which supports the switchmechanism of the lamp. The upper end of this pintle connects to one ofthe lamp terminals as indicated at 20'. The pintle 20 extendslongitudinally outward between the two halves of the sleeve, for adistance beyond the hinge ears on the latter. Around this projectingportion oi the pintle is coiled a spring 23 which engages at oppositeends the respective sleeve halves and tends to urge them together. Onthe outer end of the pintle is a nut 24:, or other shouldered member,which is adapted to bear on the spring 23 as will be presently setforth.

Projecting in a generally radial direction from the opposite edges ofthese sleeve sections 15 and 16 are the tongues 26 and 27 respectively,which project into oblique grooves 28 formed in the wall of the shelland lining, these grooves inclining toward one another as shown in Fig.6. These tongues are covered with insulation as shown at 29.

Projecting rigidly radially outward from a collar 30 freely surroundingthe pintle 20 is an insulating stud 32 which passes through alongitudinal slot 33 cut through the said lining and the shell. I alsoconnect a tension spring 4.0 to the free edges of the sleeve halves,this spring being attached midway between its ends to a stud 41 on theblock 21.

As will be apparent, by grasping the element 32 and pullinglongitudinally with respect to the socket member thereon, the sleeve 15,16 is moved in the shell. Since the tongues 26 during this movementtravel along the oblique slots 28 they move away from one another andcause the sleeve to expand so that the bulb end can be readily insertedtherein. Upon the movement of the parts to their former position thesleeve will grip the bulb end and hold the latter in place. The spring23 as will be understood, acts to press the sleeve, and with it the bulbend, inwardly so as to ensure of proper engagement of the centre contactof the bulb with the corresponding one, indicated at 60, of the socket.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of myinvention it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise construction herein set forth and that various changes andmodifications might be made therein without'departing from the spiritand scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

My improved device may also be used as a fuse socket if desired.

The modified construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8 difiers only in themeans for moving the collar 30. As here shown the latter is formed atits inner end with a laterally projected fiat finger 50 which projectsin front of a cam faced disk, or cam, 51 mounted on a spindle 52 fixedin the porcelain block 21. Formed coaxially on the .cam 51 is a gear 53engaged on opposite sides by rackbars 54 slid-ably held in guideelements 55 in the shell 10, the ends of these rack-bars projecting fromthe shell and having push button heads 56 thereon. Engaged at 0ppositeends with the spindle and cam is a spring 57 which returns the cam tonormal position. As will be apparent, by pushing the rack-bars 54inwardly the cam 51 is rotated and moves the finger 50, and collar 30,and in consequence the sleeve 15, 16 outward.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. In an electric lamp socket, an expansible bulb holding member, saidbulb holding member being in the form of a sleeve formed in twosemicylindrical sections, said sections being hinged to swing on acommon axis, and a spring urging said sections to ward one another, andmeans accessible from the exterior of the socket for swinging saidsections away from one another.

2. In an electric lamp, a shell, a bulb holding member therein formed oftwo semi-cylindrical halves hinged on a common pintle, a springarrangedto engage the said halves and urge them both toward one an other andlongitudinally inward in the socket member, tongues on the free sides ofsaid halves engaging in oblique slots in the wall of the socket memberand means accessible from the exterior of the socket member for movingsaid halves longitudinally in the said socket member to expand the saidhalves from one another. V

3. In an electric lamp, a shell, a bulb holding member therein" formedof two semi-cylindrical halves hinged on a common pintle, a springarranged to engage the said halves and urge them both toward one anotherand longitudinally inward in the socket member, tongues on the freesides of said halves eng'agingin oblique slots in the wall of the socketmember and means accessible from the exterior of the socket member formoving said halves longitudinally in the said socket member to expandthe said halves from one another, said means including an arm freelysurrounding the said pintle.

4. In an electric lamp socket, an expansible bulb holding member, saidbulb holding member being in the form of a sleeve formed in twosemi-cylindrical sections, said sections being hinged to swing on acommon axis, and a spring urging said sections toward one'another, andmeans accessible from the exterior of the socket for swinging saidsectionsaway from one another, said means. comprising a collar, a camengaging said collar, and a rack-bar for rotating'said cam.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

' ROBERT EBERHARDT.

